Promised Pictures

The sweater I am making is one of Kay Meadors from her Fashion Collection, Leisure Arts #3083.  The pattern is Crewneck Cardigan.   I am using burgundy thread which is quite lovely.  It is very difficult, however, to get a good photo of its true hue.

Here is the swatch I made:

It measured right.  But you would NOT believe the number of times I have started and re-started this sweater.  Grrr!!!  But it is SO pretty, that I am persevering.  I am.  I decided this last round, that if it is too small, I will just try to add more to the edging.

The purse is from a free pattern I got from Patons to use with their Grace yarn.  I have several skeins left from a baby dress I made my niece, which is posted here and here.  Plus, there is the perfect linen colored material in the stash from my mom to use as a liner.  I plan on customizing pockets for my own personal needs.  I have about 1/2 of the motifs done now.

The little doilies are for gifts.  I REALLY need to get them finished so I can send them off and be DONE with Christmas officially.  I also have to send our family picture out.  Plus school started Monday.  I'm sure it will all get done.  I pray it won't take me too long.

Whew!  Now all I need to show you is that little 12 mo. sweater...

More Crafting

I will start this post with my new bag holders.  For these, I used free material from my mother.  Several months ago, she gave me ribbon.  Then, in December, she brought me a bag of fabric and lace.

I knew just what I needed to do with a couple of the pieces!

Besides these items, I also started a couple of crochet projects for...(gasp)...MYSELF!  And I got FOUR NEW CROCHET BOOKS for Christmas from my mother.  So I have picked a few out of one, Patricia Kristoffersen's 99 Little Doilies, to try.  These are great short projects.  The doilies are 5" or 6" in diameter.  SO FAST!  I have finished 1, am almost done with another, and have started a third.  Here's a preview pic: 

(You'll have to come back for the detailed photos.)

Crafting Galore!

I was VERY proliferous in the month of December in the crafty department.  I made many Christmas presents (and I'm still not quite finished with that holiday even though it is over).

In addition to the crazy amount of food I made, I also made non-food gifts.

For my moms' ministry girls, I made potpourri bags.  I made sunflower dishcloths for several family members.  I made doilies for some.  I made a yarn sweater for a 1 year old in one week.  I also am working on a purse and a sweater for myself.  I also got my mending done (hemming 7 pairs of pants and sewing up 2 stuffed animals), plus I sewed 2 new bag holders for my closet.  One for Wal-mart bags and one for bread sacks.

I will put some pictures in this post and some later.  (Somehow I forgot to take a picture of the 12mo. sweater before I gave it to her.  I will get one, but for now all I have is a picture of me working on it.)

For the potpourri bags, I used potpourri I found at a garage sale for .25/bag.  The ribbon was from the stash from my mom, remember that?  And I bought thin gold netting for less than $1.

And this is what the dishcloths look like:

Don't worry; more to come!

More wall progress...

Slowly, but surely...

Soap dish-check!
One corner shelf-check!

Derailed! Tile project takes precedence.

As you know, I intended to craft and photograph and share with you over my break.  I have crafted somewhat.  But we had a home repair usurp the relaxation plan.  I'm sure you've encountered the same from time to time.

So I will share some pictures from that 'creative' project that is still underway and probably will be for awhile.  My husband has spent his vacation doing it, instead of relaxing and blogging and working on his booth at the antique mall.  What a guy!  I'm so grateful to him.  He has, over the years, saved us SO much money by being both handy and willing to do things himself.  I appreciate and love him so much for the way he takes care of our family and our home.

Here are some 'before' shots:

I am the clean-up crew and sometime assistant tile and spacer hander.

Old tile we thought we might re-use in the other shower when we re-do it. 
BUT, after 2 hours of cleaning off the back and only getting 14 tiles cleaned, we gave up.  New tile will only cost around $100, and it isn't worth the hand and back damage.
 

Old wallpaper.  Interesting!  (Yes, I decided to re-do the walls, since tiling a shower isn't a big enough project!  Nuts!!!)

Number 2 Son karate chopped the old sheetrock out.  Boy heaven, permissive destruction!

New plumbing!  While we were at it...

New tile design.

This is my WONDERFUL husband who always figures out how to do amazing things we need done by reading books.  Librarian by trade, home repairman extraordinaire. 

 I am WAY impressed with my Man!

 More to come on this...

I promise I WILL get my crochet projects photographed sometime soon.  God willing!!!
So, stay tuned...

Crafty Time is Almost Here!

Hello Cyber Friends! 

I have been busily working away on the home front over the past month trying to finish the semester strong.  School is progressing as smoothly as it can, and we have today and tomorrow before we are finished for the Christmas season.  During our 3 weeks off, I intend to craft and prepare Christmas presents as well as get a few projects done on the home front.  Hopefully I will be able to squeeze in some time to photograph said craft and misc. projects to share with you.  I also fondly hope I will have time to work on my songwriting.

So, here's to hoping...

Lezlie

Leaving a Legacy

I attended a women's event at our church this morning with my sweet mother-in-law, Kay and my youngest sister-in-law, Amanda, and my good friend, Katie.  Many of my church friends and their family members were there as well.

Our speaker was a family member of our event organizer, Holly.  The speaker showed us her prayer journal and talked about how to get organized in your prayer life to life up people more frequently and to be more effective in prayer.  She also said she saves past prayer sheets to hand down to her children so they can see how she prayed for them through different life stages.  A legacy of prayer!

I want to become a prayer warrior.  But somehow the busyness of life gets in the way.  I get up early most mornings to spend time with Jesus, but often my thoughts wander in meaningless voids. 

The speaker, Debbie, shared about praying out loud as a technique for focusing thoughts and keeping away from rabbit trails.  She had an organized prayer notebook, splitting different people groups among the days of the week as a technique for making time for prayer for all those who need it.  She even puts pictures of those she prayers for regularly by their prayer requests to bring them more personally to mind during her prayer time. 

I loved it, but the thought of accomplishing all that is, to be honest, a little overwhelming.  So now I will take what I learned and pray over how God wants me to use some of it in my time with Him.  Debbie encouraged us not to make it a taskmaster over us, but a tool to help us.

Balance.  

Funny how so many things in life 

come back to this one word for me.

The speaker also talked about writing in a journal to the Lord.  She says she writes out all her thoughts, feelings, and current life events.  But she only does it once a week.  I thought that was a good goal.  When I think I have to do that everyday, again, I get overwhelmed.  Debbie says she plans for her journals to go to her children some day so that they can know her and her heart when she's gone.  A legacy of transparency!

Finally, we were encouraged to write down memories of special things our children say and do to enjoy as we get older and need help remembering.  I'm sure the children would enjoy reading those as well.  A legacy of memories!

I hope I will successfully leave these legacies myself.

I want to grow in my spiritual life.  I'm always trying to do whatever I can to stay close to Jesus.  So maybe I will pick up a nugget to use from today.  In any case, it was a good time, full of laughter and a few tears.  Women sharing together always have to have elements of both.